Means for packaging polishing disks and holder therefor



April 28, 1942. P. s. ECKMAN 2,281,337

MEANS FOR PACKAGING POLISHING DISKS AND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed July 2.1940 INVENTOR. AuL m5 5. FCKMAN ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1942 OFFICFOR); PACKAGING POLISHING DISKS AND HOLDER THEREFOR 1 Claim.

This invention relates to equipment and devices used by dentists intheir practice, and particularly pertains to means for packagingpolishing disks used by dentists and a holder therefor.

As is well known, dentists in their practice employ a considerablenumber of polishing disks which are used but once and then discarded.These disks not only vary in diameter but in abrasive qualities and arecommonly furnished in a wide range of sizes and abrasive qualities, allof which must be constantly available for prompt selection by thedentist to fit the particular immediate requirement. Heretofore, thesedisks have been packed(ages) in small boxes which do(es) not enable thedentist to expeditiously select the desired size and abrasive quality.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention toprovide improved means of packaging polishing disks of the characterreferred to and'a holder for such packages which holder for packagedpolishing disks showing the 5 packaged disks mounted on the holder foruse.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved clevice for packaging thedisks.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in plan of one of the gripping members of theholder.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the gripping members of theholder.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, It indicates aholder'for packages ll of polishing disks I2. suitable fiat base I4having pairs of upright grip ping members I5 secured thereto, preferablyin the manner illustrated. Each gripping member includes a substantiallysemi-cylindrical portion l6 nesting within which and lying parallelthere- This holder includes a ed on the base, but, obviously a greateror lesser number may be provided.

The packages H are in the form of strips or tape and provide a novel wayof packaging the polishing disks 12. These disks are usually quite thinand of slightly flexible material with an abrasive surface.

To form the package I provide a flat band of thin flexible andpreferably transparent material, such as Cellophane. This flat band isof a proper width so that when it is folded upon itself along a centrallongitudinal line, it will be of a Width slightly less than the disks itis to contain. After folding, the two sides or flaps of the strip ortape thus formed are secured together laterally at points equally spacedapart along their lengths by stitching, stapling, adhesion or otherwiseas desired, the spacing between such points being slightly greater thanthe diameter of the disks to be packaged, thus forming a strip or tapehaving successive pockets along its length which are closed on threesides and of a dimension enabling the insertion of a disk thereinthrough the open side thereof. The pockets are, of course, each capableof receiving a disk inserted through the open side of the pocket, andthe disks will tend to be held in such pocket by the frictional contactbetween the disk and the sides of the strip or tape.

The strips may be of any desired length. That is, they may be only ofsufiicient length to fit between the gripping members l5 of each pair onthe holder, or they may be of any longer length and thereafter be cut tofit the holder. In such case the strip would be severed between thedisks.

Obviously, therefore, I have provided a package for polishing diskswhich consists of a flexible tape or strip having a plurality of pocketsformed therein, each to receive and contain a polishing disk, whichstrip or tape may be rolled, folded or otherwise compacted due to thefact that the strip is inherently pliable or flexible.

In use, the dentist may select one package of each size and quality ofdisks and place one package of each between each pair of grippingmembers by inserting the ends of the strip or tape between the grippingportions of the gripping members 15, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In thisfashion the packages will be removably retained by the gripping membersl5 with the open side of the pockets thereof uppermost to enable thedisks to slightly protrude so that the dentist may quickly select andremove the desired disk without in any manner handling the remainder ofthe dis s.

By so packaging the disks, it is obvious that disks of various sizes andqualities may not become mixed and will always be maintained separate.This provides a novel way of merchandising the disks as well as enablingthe dentist to have readily available to him a wide variety of diskdiameters and abrasive qualities for his selection without handling theremainder of the disks.

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to beunderstood that various changes may be made in its construction by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

In combination, a flat base member, a plurality of pair of grippingmembers projecting upwardly from the base, the gripping members of eachpair being in alignment and positioned adjacent the opposite ends of thebase, the pairs of the gripping members being spaced apart laterally ofthe base, a package in strip form to be gripped and received by saidgripping members, said package comprising a strip of flexible materialfolded upon itself longitudinally forming two strips of material lyingside by side, the same being secured laterally at spaced intervals apartalong the length thereof to divide the interior of the same into aplurality of pockets each of a dimension to more or less snugly receivea polishing disk, said packages being gripped at their ends by saidgripping members and held in position with the open edges of the pocketsdisposed uppermost.

PAULINE S. ECKMAN.

